1、AThe other morning on the subway I sat next to an attractive young blonde woman who was reading something on her iPad.She was very welldressed,carrying a Prada bag with tastefully applied makeup indeed,she had an unmistakable air of wealth,material success and even authority.I suspected she worked a
2、s a highlypaid Wall Street lawyer or stockbroker or something of that sort.So,I was curious to see what she was so focused on.The Wall Street Journal perhaps? The Economist?Quite the contrary;rather,she was concentrating on a romance novel.Then I realized that I have known many women who love romanc
3、e novelssmart,attractive,successful,“liberated”,modern females who nonetheless find some kind of deep satisfaction and thrill from those hyperromantic,artificial and extremely unrealistic tales of handsome,manly heroes falling in love with virginal women,enduring a series of adventures,then no doubt
4、 having a happy ending.These_romance_stories_are_to_literature_what_hot_dogs_are_to_fine_food.Yet,the genre(体裁) remains enormously popular.Consider some of these surprising statistics from the good folks at the Romance Writers of America(RWA):More than 9,000 romance titles were released last year,wi
5、th sales of about $1.44 billion(more than triple the revenues generated by classic literary fiction)More than 90 percent of the market are women(okay,thats not at all surprising)Readers are typically women between the ages 30 and 54 who are themselves involved in a romantic relationship(betraying th
6、e stereotype that only lonely women long for these tales of love and adventure)Almost 40 percent of romance book consumers have an annual income of between $50,000 and $99,900(placing them firmly in the middle class)I had thought that romance novels accounted for a very small share of the literary m
7、arket,so I was quite surprised that this part has such enormous popularity.But I must wonder why so many womenforty years after the womens liberation movement continue to indulge in the fanciful tales?Im not sure if it represents a kind of “rejection” of the womens liberation movement,but clearly so
8、mething is missing in the lives of contemporary ladies.A romance author named Donna Hatch who focuses on the Regency period(early 19th century Britain) explained the appeal of such books this way: “Regency men were civilized and treated women with courtesy.When a lady entered the room,gentlemen stoo
9、d,doffed their hats,offered an arm,bowed,and a hundred other little things I wish men still did today.But they were also very athletic;they hunted,raced,boxed,rode horses.They were manly.Strong.Noble.Honorable.And that is why I love them!”Mrs.Hatch may have expressed the secret desires and attitudes
10、 of untold millions of her peersthat is,in the early 21st century,have women grown tired of the burdens and expectations that the “freedoms” they have gained give them? Is this a rejection of modern feminism? Do women long for days of old when men were masculine gentlemen and women were feminine and
11、 protected as precious treasures and regarded as possessions?Perhaps most women(even the ones who get lost in romance novels) do not want to go all the way back but it is obvious,_【解题导语】落难少女情结:现代女性喜爱阅读言情小说的背后。1What is the function of the opening paragraph?ATo summarize the whole passage.BTo prove th
12、e authors argument.CTo lead in the main topic of the passage.DTo raise problems that will be solved later.解析:选C。推理判断题。本文第一段讲述的是作者在地铁上的一次偶遇,由此引出下文对“现代女性喜爱阅读言情小说的背后”的深思。即第一段为引子,引出文章的话题。故该题正确答案为C。2What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph imply?ARomance novels are satisfying and thrillin
13、g.BRomance novels are not of much “nutrition”CRomance novels are as popular as hot dogs.DRomance novels are an essential part of contemporary life.解析:选B。句意猜测题。因为“A is to B what C is to D”:A之于B就像C对于D一样。故该句句意应为:言情小说对于文学而言就像热狗对于好的食物一样。且根据有转折意义的下句:但是言情小说却非常流行。可知,该句应是用贬义词来描述言情小说,说其没有营养,故该题正确答案为B。3In the
14、authors opinion,what is missing in the lives of contemporary women?AAuthority.BDignity.CLiberty. DCare.解析:选D。推理判断题。A.Authority威信;BDignity尊严;C.Liberty自由;DCare关爱;根据文章倒数第三段可推知,作者认为在当代女性生活中逐渐消失的是DCare.关爱。4Which sentence can be put in the blank in the last paragraph?Athey prefer tales of innocent romance
15、 to classicsBthey are unhappy with how the world has turned outCtrue love described in romance novels does exist in realityDromance novels provide them with an access to society解析:选B。文章结构题。该题重在寻找关联词和关键词。该句中的连词but及选项B中的unhappy是该题的关键点。故该题正确答案为B。B(2015高考陕西卷,阅读理解C)The production of coffee beans is a hug
16、e,profitable business,but,unfortunately,fullsun production is taking over the industry and bringing about a lot of damage.The change in how coffee is grown from shadegrown production to fullsun production endangers the very existence of certain animals and birds,and even disturbs the worlds ecologic
17、al balance.On a local level,the damage of the forest required by fullsun fields affects the areas birds and animals.The shade of the forest trees provides a home for birds and other species(物种) that depend on the trees flowers and fruits.Fullsun coffee growers destroy this forest home.As a result,ma
18、ny species are quickly dying out.On a more global level,the destruction of the rainforest for fullsun coffee fields also threatens(威胁) human life.Medical research often makes use of the forests plant and animal life,and the destruction of such species could prevent researchers from finding cures for
19、 certain diseases.In addition,new coffeegrowing techniques are poisoning the water locally,and eventually the worlds groundwater.Both locally and globally,the continued spread of fullsun coffee plantations(种植园) could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology.The loss of shade trees is already c
20、ausing a slight change in the worlds climate,and studies show that the loss of oxygengiving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming.Moreover,the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic(酸性的) soil conditions.It is obvious that the way much coffee is grown affects many aspects of
21、 life,from the local environment to the global ecology.But consumers do have a choice.They can purchase shadegrown coffee whenever possible,although at a higher cost.The future health of the planet and mankind is surely worth more than an inexpensive cup of coffee.【解题导语】本文是一篇议论文。咖啡豆的新的种植技术带来了很大的利润,但
22、与此同时也给我们带来了很多危害,影响我们生活的各个层面,因此我们要作出正确的选择。5What can we learn about fullsun coffee production from Paragraph 4?AIt limits the spread of new growing techniques.BIt leads to air pollution and global warming.CIt slows down the loss of shade trees.DIt improves local soil conditions.解析:选B。细节理解题。由文章第四段中的.th
23、e loss of oxygengiving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming.可知B项正确。由第四段第一句可知,是扩大了而不是限制了新种植技术的传播,故A项错误;它破坏了雨林生态系统,而不是减慢了这些树的丧失速度,故C项错误;由第四段最后一句可知,这种新的种植技术导致了酸性土壤状况而不是改进了土壤状况,故D项错误。6The purpose of the text is to _Aentertain BadvertiseCinstruct Dpersuade解析:选D。写作意图题。通读全文可知,本文向大家介绍咖啡豆的新的种
24、植技术所带来的不良影响,旨在说服大家作出正确的选择,故选D项persuade(说服)。 entertain娱乐,advertise做广告,instruct指导,均不合适。7Where does this text probably come from?AAn agricultural magazine.BA medical journal.CAn engineering textbook.DA tourist guide.解析:选A。推理判断题。 本文向大家介绍咖啡豆的新的种植技术所带来的不良影响,这属于农学的范畴,因此最有可能出自一本农学杂志,故选A项。B项A medical journal(一本医学杂志),C项An engineering textbook(一本工程教科书),D项A tourist guide(一本旅行指南),均不正确。8Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?A.BC.D(P:Paragraph)解析:选A。篇章结构题。通读全文可知,文章第一段从整体上介绍咖啡豆的新的种植技术带来的危害,中间第二、三、四段详细介绍了具体的危害,最后一段介绍这种新的种植技术影响我们生活的各个层面,消费者要作出正确的选择。因此,整篇文章属于“总分总”结构,故选A项。